


Just Kind

by whatyoufish4



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Anyone can change if they try, Crack Crossover, Friendship, Gen, Redemption, These are kind of my themes you'll see them a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 18:12:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13529802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatyoufish4/pseuds/whatyoufish4
Summary: The Doctor is ready to sign on his newest Companion.





	Just Kind

“It won’t be easy,” said the Doctor.

Loki traced a line across the TARDIS console, his fingers trailing paths of green light. The Doctor was leaning against the staircase railing, watching him. Dark sunglasses hid the Doctor’s eyes, but Loki could feel the other’s gaze on him all the same. 

“I’m offering you a chance at adventure,” the Doctor went on. “Excitement. Terror. Mystery. Wonder. Horrors beyond imagining. Marvels beyond belief.”

The silence stretched on. “Why?” Loki asked at last. He turned away from the console, letting his spells die on his fingertips. 

“Why?” The Doctor grinned behind his sunglasses. “Because horrors and marvels are what the universe is made of!”

“No,” said Loki, stepping away from the console. “Why me? Why ask someone like _me_ to travel with you?”

The Doctor’s grin vanished. He slipped the sunglasses from his face, tucking them into some inner pocket of his beaten gray coat. “And who are you?”

It had been Loki’s question which had begun this, and yet suddenly he found himself darting for an exit route. “I know who I am –”

“Do you?” The Doctor quirked one wild eyebrow.

“But,” Loki plunged on, hearing the anger and the brittleness of his own voice, “ _You_ have no idea who I am. You don’t know a thing about me, not really. What I’ve done –”

“I know you saved lives today,” said the Doctor.

“Today,” snapped Loki. “But there have been times –”

“And you were kind.”

That brought him up short. “I was – I’m sorry, what?”

“Kind.” The Doctor pushed himself away from the railing, stepping toward him. “It wasn’t just that you led those people away to hide. But you took the time to tell them it was going to be all right. You comforted them, told them you wouldn’t let anything happen to them.” The Doctor raised both eyebrows now, but his voice was gentle. “And you didn’t let anything happen to them. You saved their lives. But first, you were _kind_.”

He was suddenly, almost painfully embarrassed. “I wasn’t – I only wanted to make certain that they stayed hidden,” Loki managed lamely. “It was important that those people stayed calm and didn't panic, or they would’ve made a fuss, and drawn the attention of those rhino-things –”

“Judoon,” said the Doctor. “And nice try, but I saw you. It was more than that. You weren’t just making calculations. You wanted to make them feel better, make them believe that they had a chance. You took the time to give them hope.”

He could find nothing to say.

“There’s really not more than half a dozen things I require of those who travel with me,” said the Doctor, moving to stand beside him by the console. “And only two or three of those things are really all that important. Actually, one, in particular. I require that my Companions be kind. Even when things are hopeless, even when there’s no chance of success. I only travel with those who still choose kindness. Just that. If you’re willing do that – then come with me. If you’re not? Get off my ship.”

“You would trust me so easily? Because of one moment of charity?” Loki shook his head. “I have been so much … so much _less_ than what you saw today.”

The Doctor watched him. _Tell me,_ his eyes said.

“I’ve been a liar. A trickster, and not always on the side of the light. A betrayer. A murderer.” He hesitated, tasting the truth of it. “A monster.”

“Have you now?” said the Doctor, musing. “That’s funny. So have I.”

Loki looked at him.

“Oh, always in the cause of goodness and right!” The Doctor waved a hand. “Or so I would tell myself. But I’ve gone too far, and worlds have burned because of it.”

“I’ve heard tales of you before today,” Loki mumbled. “The people of Asgard sing songs of your exploits. You are a hero.”

“And you’ve been a villain,” said the Doctor. “But today, I saw you choose kindness. And it’s not the first time, is it?”

Loki looked at him, and he could feel the desperate hope spilling across his face. A fool, he was a fool to think he could change that far, that much. And yet – 

“The thing of it is,” and the Doctor’s smile was crazy and blinding and brilliant, “over the centuries, I’ve changed quite a lot myself. And I’ve rather come to believe that everyone deserves the chance to do the same.”

“Even me?” asked Loki.

The Doctor looked him in the eye. “That’s up to you.”

Loki turned back to the center console. He ran his hand over the clear curved column, pushing out a tentative tendril of magic, and felt an answering thrum beneath his palm.

_Choose kindness …_

“And how,” Loki murmured, “Does one find the courage to be kind to the universe?”

“I suggest,” said the Doctor, “One starts by being kind to oneself. So!” He clapped his hands abruptly, giving Loki a moment to clear his throat. “Speaking of the universe – what do you say? Want to come with me and see it?”

“And save it, too, I suppose?” asked Loki, looking over his shoulder at the Doctor.

“One soul at a time.” The Doctor smiled.

Loki smiled back almost in spite of himself. “… When do we start?”

“‘When!’ _When,_ indeed!” The Doctor beamed as he dashed around the console, fingers already flying over the controls, punching in fresh flight coordinates. There was never a moment to lose in getting to the next adventure. “Did I mention the old girl also travels through time?”

The musical, wheezing cry from the heart of the TARDIS drowned out Loki’s answer.

**Author's Note:**

> Crossposted to https://whatyoufish4.tumblr.com/post/170327108870/join-me-if-you-want-to-use-this-as-an-excuse-to 
> 
> Thanks to MagratPudifoot for the "Join Me" meme prompt which inspired this.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Sun Will Shine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17799167) by [silveryink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveryink/pseuds/silveryink)




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